Insight

NHS to be kept free at all costs

Voters want NHS to be kept free at all costs

Trust
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When we asked likely voters who they most trust to look after the NHS, Labour came out top with 33%, a 12-point lead over the Conservatives on only 21%. UKIP was in a distant third place with 8%, and the Lib Dems were on 5%.

A quarter (27%) said they trusted none of the above parties.

UKIP voters were the least likely to choose their own party on this measure, with only 40% saying they most trusted Nigel Farage’s party to look after the NHS.

Free at the point of delivery

When we presented voters with some statements about the future funding of the NHS, a clear majority (77%) agreed that the NHS must be kept free at the point of delivery regardless of cost to the taxpayer, with only 6% disagreeing.

When looking at different ways to fund this, 43% agreed that they would be prepared to pay higher taxes if they knew it was going directly towards funding the NHS.

Other possible options such as UK residents paying a nominal ‘membership fee’ for the NHS received less support, with 32% in agreement and 42% opposed, with similar numbers saying the same about paying to use some services on the NHS. Young voters tended to support these options more than older voters did.

Voters were evenly divided over whether it would be necessary to limit NHS services to keep it free at the point of delivery, with 35% agreeing and 37% disagreeing.

Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 1,672 likely voters. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria. The research was conducted from 1st to 3rd of July 2014.